When Water Disaster Strikes

High waves and strong water currents entice surfers to strut their surfing skills. But these conditions could be extremely dangerous that surfers suffer from injuries or even death.

In Newport Beach, a lifeless surfer was pulled out of the water by the Wedge lifeguards. The man was seen surfing near the Wedge when 20 feet high waves came upon him. Lifeguards pulled the man out of the water and into a boat and transported him back to the shore.

The man was brought to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian where he died.

Despite the incident, the Wedge was still open to those who want to swim and surf.

In San Clemente, however, officials closed its 1, 200-foot-long fishing pier. The closure was prompted by heavy surf knocking a wooden crossbeam into the ocean. Consequently, visitors could only pass a point about halfway between Fisherman's restaurant and Lifeguard Tower Zero.

With the sudden and varying water condition, the danger is greater and the risk is higher.

Although authorities patrol the area, lifeguards could practically do nothing when you are miles away from them and from the shore. By the time they get to you, it may be too late.

Safety should be a primary concern. However, if your accident was caused by the negligent act of another, you may sue for damages by hiring a personal injury lawyer.

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Motorcycle Deaths on the Rise in California

There’s good news and bad news.

The good news is, traffic fatalities in California decreased by 14 percent, it even fell down up to 16 percent in Orange County.

The bad news is, motorcycle deaths rose sharply across the Golden State and in OC, motorcycle fatalities jumped as high as 44 percent.

Nationally, motorcyclist deaths have more than doubled since 1997, reaching a record of 12 percent for all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2007.

Christopher J. Murphy, the director of California’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) couldn’t have said it better. "Motorcycle safety is a rapidly emerging concern" he said in a written statement.

Due to the economy and the fact that motorcycles are the most affordable form of motorized transport, it has gained in popularity among Americans. There are over four million motorcycles registered in the United States.

Motorcycles, especially these days have excessive performance capabilities such as rapid acceleration and high top speeds. This makes bikes much harder to control and authorities also say that it’s even more fatal since a lot of bikers don’t have the proper training.

The spokesman for OTS, Chris Cochran said that one-third of the motorcyclists involved in crashes statewide don't have the required Department of Motor Vehicles endorsement on their licenses.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over one-fourth of motorcycle riders (26%) involved in fatal crashes in 2007 were driving the vehicles with invalid licenses at the time of the collision.

The figures are a cause for alarm and the OTS is now encouraging motorcyclists to get trained through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Those who finish the training would not need to take the DMV skills test in order to qualify for the DMV motorcycle endorsement.

Also, according to the NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts of 2007, helmets are the single most effective tool in decreasing motorcycle fatalities. It estimated that helmets saved the lives of 1,784 motorcyclists in 2007. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 800 lives could have been saved.

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42 arrests in a $4.6 million Medi-Cal fraud case

Healthcare is a basic human need. People go to hospitals or medical providers to get the best health care services.

When patients are being treated by unlicensed medical providers, health is compromised and fraudulent acts become imminent. Some patients even deserve specific treatment that only qualified and licensed individuals could provide.

To spare more individuals from unlicensed medical providers, authorities launched “Operation License Integrity’’. As a result, 42 individuals were arrested, 20 of whom were Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties residents. The arrests were due to their alleged participation in a $4.6 million Medi-Cal fraud case. Allegedly, unlicensed individuals were used to provide care to disabled patients including children with cerebral palsy.

Priscilla Villabroza, a registered nurse and manager of Medicare Plus Home Health Providers, was accused as the scheme’s mastermind. She employed unlicensed individuals from 2004 to 2007 to provide care to disabled patients, and then billed Medi-Cal as if they were licensed vocational nurses. Worse, some of those hired lack medical training.

Villabroza already pleaded guilty to five counts of health care fraud in 2008. Susan Bendigo, Villabroza’s assistant, was also indicted but remained at large. All other accused were charged with health fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

Health care providers and personnel are expected to deliver proper health care. Providing health care without a license is a serious crime which entails a serious punishment. Moreover, patients who had been given wrong treatment may file an appropriate case against these providers.

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Diprivan may Cause MJ’s Death says Nurse

Michael Jackson’s official cause of death is still unknown despite two autopsies conducted on his remains.

In a recent development, Jackson’s nutritionist, Cherilyn Lee disclosed that Jackson had been pleading her for a Diprivan, a powerful sedative taken intravenously. Lee rejected his repeated demands and warned her of its lethal effects once combined with other prescription drugs.

Lee said that while Jackson had been addicted to painkillers, sedatives and anti depressants, he took them to induce sleep which he had been deprived of for a long time.

Although Lee admitted she did not see him have or take such drug, she was certain that a doctor may already prescribe him Diprivan. In fact, four days before Jackson’s cardiac arrest, Lee received a phone call from him complaining that half of his body was very cold while the other half was very hot.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office confirmed that drugs were confiscated from Jackson’ s rented Holmby Hills but refused to name them.

As these drugs could not have been availed of without prescription, media attention focused on Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray was the only person present when Jackson became unconscious. He was also the one who administered CPR to Jackson.

Murray’s counsel already denied allegations that his client gave Jackson drugs such as Demerol and OxyContin. There has been no mention of Diprivan or Lidocaine.

In this whole fiasco, one thing is sure: dangerous drugs had been given to Jackson which may have caused his death.

Consequently, the one responsible for accessing this drugs and giving them to the deceased could be punished for wrongful death.

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